As stated in my previous post, melodramas are typically highly emotional stories which prioritize emotion over character/story depth, and usually does so through highly emotional dialogue. Despite typically being dialogue heavy, cinematography is an important element of the way emotions are conveyed as well - especially when there isn't any dialogue.
In order to more fully understand melodramas we must understand the conventions, cliches, and tropes that define the genre itself.
Conventions:
- Expressionistic lighting
- Symbolic color usage
- Close-ups for emphasis
- Dramatic/unconventional angles
Cliches:
- Using weather to demonstrate or foreshadow events/emotions
- Lens flare for romance
- Sunset (silhouette)
- Slow motion
Tropes:
- Soft focus for for flashbacks/emotional moments
- Mirror reflection
- Glances to convey unspoken emotion
The issue in distinguishing cliches from tropes is that the two are left up for individual interpretation, and are not objective truths. As such, I separated the two based on my research of the genre as well as what I've seen/believe to work best. Though slow motion can be done extremely tastefully, it is often over-used and extends scenes beyond a comfortable length, causing the audiences to become disengaged. Lens flares and weather are also extremely over-used as well, hence why I deem them cliches and don't want to include them later once I begin filming.
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| This is an example of lens flare being used for emotional emphasis. It is extremely cliche and overused as I mentioned previously. |
Having a softer focus for flashbacks is something I intend on frequently including as there are multiple flashbacks throughout the story. One of the ways in which I learned this look could be achieved is by placing a light coat of vaseline on a UV filter and then placing it on a lens - something I will test in the future. Additionally, I have plans of including a shot in which the main character looks at herself in the mirror as much of the movie's message one will be about self-reflection - hence being represented by a mirror.
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